Monthly Archives: July 2014

The routine to the interview is the same. Get the notes right, double-check the resume you sent, match strengths to role description (in the odd chance that I got one), mental notes about the job, the industry and how I fit, get the suit right (and really the rotation is a little limited) and then the walk, the route and the cheery greeting.

The dance is the same. Steps. Beat. Grin. I don’t know what I’m doing sometimes and it feels like the job is about getting ready rather than working per se.

The shame is that it doesn’t feel real anymore but some pretend thing and everything is really about chance and not so much effort and fit.

The theory is that for every job application you tailor your resume and your cover letter to the needs of the job. You find your more appropriate skills and achievements and bring them to the fore, hoping to make the task easier for the person recruiting.

In some instances, the recruiter asks for other questions to be answered.

What do you most value about our brand?

How do your values align with ours?

How would you contribute to our organization?

So, it takes a little time to feel like you’ve got it right. What peeves me is that after all that effort, the rejection email I get starts off with “Dear Applicant”. If the etiquette is to be respectful of the advertiser, shouldn’t the same principles apply to them?

So, despite four interviews in ten days and innumerable applications for roles I could do in my sleep, the phone has remained silent and there are no officious emails, human generated or otherwise. My wife has gone back to work and I’m now officially in charge of all things kiddie. While this isn’t anything I haven’t desired, it is somewhat mundane despite the wondrous joys of child raising. There is that shadow behind me where I do wonder when I’ll ever work again at this tender age. At least I am less down about not working and the simplicities of housework and feeding isn’t so bad. I do wish for something more intellectually challenging. A freelance career maybe? That would be nice. Working away at night, getting paid and taking care of children in the morning. I’d like that.

When I first starting for new work, I thought that it would be relatively easy. I was confident of my own abilities and I thought that there were a thousand untapped markets waiting for a guy like me. Of course, reality has a way of smacking ideas like this and my wait did drag on and on. And somehow, when the calendar ticked to July 1, things are a little rosier. A burst of applications for roles that may be a little more junior or might be somewhat more of a stretch and I have four interviews in the space of ten days.

This isn’t a cause for celebration just yet but in those interviews, I didn’t get the sense that it wouldn’t work out. No, there aren’t any job offers yet (or even rejections) but the people I’ve spoken to seem genuinely interested and would actually be people I’d be happy to work with. Nothing’s happened yet, so here’s hoping.

I think it’s been that long. I spoke with a former colleague recently and she asked how long it’s been since I was working. I mentioned March and saw her draw breath through pursed lips. Yeah. It’s been a while. In between, there has been anger and frustration but now there is acceptance. Not about feeling that I won’t work again (although there is a fear), but this thing might just take its sweet time. I’ve applied and interviewed with little success. Sometimes I feel like I am losing confidence but for now, I feel calm. Taking some time isn’t such a bad thing and there is truly time to think about the future.